New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘Fisimp 104’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘Fisimp 104’, characterized by its outwardly spreading, tall and uniformly mounded plant habit; freely branching and freely flowering habit; large rounded light red-colored flowers with a small white-colored eye that are positioned above and beyond the foliage; and medium green-colored leaves.

BOTANICAL CLASSIFICATION/CULTIVAR DESIGNATION

Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Fisimp 104.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of NewGuinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Fisimp 104’.

The new Impatiens is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Hillscheid, Germany. The objective of the breedingprogram is to develop new vigorous Impatiens cultivars that flowerrelatively early with large rounded flowers and attractive flowercolors.

The new Impatiens originated from a cross made by the Inventor in July,1997 of the Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Riviera Hot Rose, not patented,as the female, or seed, parent with the Impatiens hawkeri cultivarBSR-195 Salmon, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,870, as the male, orpollen, parent. The cultivar Fisimp 104 was discovered and selected bythe Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated crossin a controlled environment in Moncarapacho, Portugal in March, 1998.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken inMoncarapacho, Portugal, since March, 1998, has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Impatiens are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Fisimp 104’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Fisimp 104’ as a new and distinct Impatienscultivar:

1. Outwardly spreading, tall and uniformly mounded plant habit.

2. Freely branching and freely flowering habit.

3. Large rounded light red-colored flowers with a small white-coloredeye that are positioned above and beyond the foliage.

4. Medium green-colored leaves.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the femaleparent, the cultivar Riviera Hot Rose. In side-by-side comparisonsconducted by the Inventor in Hillscheid, Germany, plants of the newImpatiens differed from plants of the cultivar Riviera Hot Rose in thefollowing characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Impatiens were more vigorous and larger than plantsof the cultivar Riviera Hot Rose.

2. Plants of the new Impatiens flowered later than plants of thecultivar Riviera Hot Rose.

3. Flowers of plants of the new Impatiens were more orange in color thanflowers of plants of the cultivar Riviera Hot Rose.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the maleparent, the cultivar BSR-195 Salmon. In side-by-side comparisonsconducted by the Inventor in Hillscheid, Germany, plants of the newImpatiens differed from plants of the cultivar BSR-195 Salmon in thefollowing characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Impatiens had lighter green-colored leaves thanplants of the cultivar BSR-195 Salmon.

2. Flowers of plants of the new Impatiens were light red-colored with asmall white-colored eye whereas flowers of plants of the cultivarBSR-195 Salmon were light red-colored with faded light pink-coloredareas towards the base of the petals.

Plants of the new Impatiens can also be compared to plants of thecultivar Balcelisow, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,087. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Hillscheid,Germany, plants of the new Impatiens differed from plants of thecultivar Balcelisow in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Impatiens were larger and more vigorous than plantsof the cultivar Balcelisow.

2. Plants of the new Impatiens had solid green-colored leaves whereasplants of the cultivar Balcelisow had green and yellow variegatedleaves.

3. Flowers of plants of the new Impatiens were light red-colored with asmall white-colored eye whereas flowers of plants of the cultivarBalcelisow were light red and light pink bi-colored.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Impatiens. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Fisimp 104’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The cultivar Fisimp 104 has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensity,without, however, any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photograph, following observations and measurementsdescribe plants grown in Langley, British Columbia, Canada, undercommercial practice in a greenhouse. Rooted young plants were planted in17.5-cm containers during the spring and the aforementioned photographand following observations and measurements were taken during the summerabout 17 weeks later. During the production of the plants, daytemperatures ranged from 21 to 24° C. and night temperatures were about17 to 18° C. In the following description, color references are made toThe Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Fisimp 104.

Parentage:

Female parent.—Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Riviera Hot Rose, notpatented.

Male parent.—Impatiens hawkeri cultivar BSR-195 Salmon, disclosed inU.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,870.

Propagation:

Type cutting.—Terminal tip cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.—Summer: About 8 to 9 days at 24° C. Winter:About 10 days at 21° C.

Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Summer: About 15 days at 24° C.Winter: About 18 days at 21° C.

Root description.—Numerous, fibrous, and freely branching; 158D incolor.

Plant description:

General appearance.—Outwardly spreading, tall and uniformly moundedplant growth habit; freely branching habit, dense and bushy appearance;freely flowering. Vigorous.

Crop time.—From a rooted cutting, about 10 to 11 weeks are required toproduce finished flowering plants in 12-cm containers.

Plant height.—About 25.9 cm.

Plant diameter or spread.—About 67.6 cm.

Lateral branches.—Quantity per plant: About 15. Length: About 24 cm.Diameter: About 8.5 mm. Internode length: About 4.75 cm. Texture:Smooth, glabrous. Color: Young stems, 144A; older stems, 181A to 181B.

Foliage description.—Arrangement: Primarily in whorls. Length: About14.3 cm. Width: About 4.7 cm. Shape: Narrowly elliptic to elliptic.Apex: Acuminate. Base: Acute. Margin: Serrulate with ciliation. Texture:Smooth, slightly rugose; glabrous. Color: Young foliage, upper surface:137D. Young foliage, lower surface: 139C. Fully expanded foliage, uppersurface: 137A to 137B. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 139C.Venation, upper surface: 143C; towards the base, 47C. Venation, lowersurface: 145B. Petiole: Length: About 3.75 cm. Diameter: About 3.5 mm.Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Upper surface: 47C. Lower surface:48B.

Flower description:

Flower type and flowering habit.—Single; large rounded light red-coloredflowers with a small white-colored eye; mostly flat. Freely andcontinuously flowering; usually about 6 to 9 flowers and flower buds perlateral branch. Flowers positioned above and beyond the foliage andtypically face parallel to the leaf canopy. Petals not persistent;gynoecium persistent. Flowers not fragrant.

Flower longevity.—Flowers last about 8 to 9 days on the plant.

Flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse conditions. Plants beginflowering about 9 to 10 weeks after planting.

Flower buds.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm. Shape: Ovoid.Color: 155D.

Flower length.—About 6.9 cm.

Flower width.—About 6.6 cm.

Flower depth.—About 1 cm.

Petals.—Quantity: Five per flower, imbricate. Length: Banner petals:About 2.8 cm. Lateral and base petals: About 3 cm. Width: Banner petal:About 3.9 cm. Lateral and base petals: About 3.1 cm. Shape: Roughlycordate. Apex: Emarginate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Aspect:Mostly flat. Texture: Smooth; satiny. Color: When opening, uppersurface: 43A. When opening, lower surface: 43C. Fully opened, uppersurface: 43A to 43C; towards base or eye, 155D, small; color fading to43D with subsequent development. Fully opened, lower surface: 43C.

Spur.—Quantity: One per flower. Length: About 6 cm. Diameter: At apex:About 0.5 mm. At flower: About 2.5 mm. Aspect: Curved. Color: Close to43C.

Peduncles.—Length: About 6 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture: Smooth,glabrous. Strength: Strong, flexible. Angle: About 45° from the lateralbranch. Color: Close to 144A.

Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: Five fused at anthers,hooded; filaments free. Anther length: About 5.5 mm. Anther shape:Obovate. Anther color: 43B to 43C. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollencolor: 8D. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: One per flower. Pistil length:About 4.5 mm. Stigma color: 18D. Style color: 18D. Ovary: Five-celled.Ovary color: 143C.

Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development has not been observed.

Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Impatiens have not beenobserved to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Impatiens.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiensplant named ‘Fisimp 104’, as illustrated and described.